There is no way of precisely predicting when or where the next seismic event will occur, or when an earthquake will generate an offshore shift in tectonic plates that will produce a tsunami. Recent natural disasters of these types have had devastating effects around the world, leaving governments and the private sector scrambling to adequately prepare for similar future events.
Seismic maps identify areas of the United States—and the world—that are more and less likely to experience an earthquake. For example, due to the location of fault lines, the West Coast of the United States has been given a high hazard rating, whereas the East Coast is rated as the least hazardous. In many areas, these hazard classifications dictate whether municipalities must adhere to strict construction requirements that bolster a building's ability to withstand a seismic event. While the entire West Coast has been requiring new and retrofitted buildings to abide by these seismic codes for over 30 years, recent earthquakes have occurred in areas previously designated “non-hazard” areas, raising the possibility that “non-hazard” areas will have to abide by strict seismic upgrading codes, as well. Although the intent behind seismic upgrade requirements is extremely high value (to preserve life and property), the cost of these upgrades is immense and often implausible to fund.